Executive Director
Professional Fraternity Association (PFA)
Milwaukee, WI
Briefly state what your job entails.
Selecting the future sites of the PFA annual convention, along with speakers and all other meeting planning duties. The rest of the year, I am handling the financials, updating the website, recruiting new members, and gathering educational resources and sharing those with our members. I do pretty much the same activities as a full-time executive director, but for a much smaller organization.
What meeting did you hold in Baton Rouge?
The PFA annual convention was held Sept. 7-10, 2016.
Was anyone particularly helpful in executing your event?
The Visit Baton Rouge team was extraordinary.
What did your attendees seem to enjoy the most about Baton Rouge?
Learning that Baton Rouge has so much to offer in educational enrichment, fun creative venues for off-site meetings and great food options.
Are there any experiences you would recommend for groups meeting in Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has so many experiences. I would recommend working with the Visit Baton Rouge team to tailor those depending on the needs of the group. We participated in the free entertainment offered downtown. It was called Live After Five, and the Visit Baton Rouge office arranged for our group to have a place to eat, sit, drink and dance. It was fantastic.
How does Baton Rouge compare to other cities where you have hosted meetings?
Visit Baton Rouge arranged for the local college band and LSU cheerleaders to perform for our group while we noshed on several different local food favorites, including fried alligator, oysters and shrimp. I have not had a CVB offer out-of-the-box entertainment like this.
The city itself offers an incredible amount of off-site venues, including the old Capitol building and the USS Kidd, and historical sites within walking distance of the downtown hotel, plus easy public transit. I found the people incredibly friendly and helpful as well.
Would you return/recommend it to other meeting planners?
Absolutely! I can see why the Miss America pageant was held there. The Mississippi River, the architecture, the food, the music and the history gave our attendees an incredible week of entertainment.